•We now understand that, clearly, The Father has one calendar, and that His weekly and annual Sabbaths are determined by this calendar. As this study progresses, we will look closely at the details that Elohim discusses regarding how to calculate His weekly Sabbath and His annual Sabbath days. We will see some eye-opening information that is revealed through the Scriptures. Most will be astonished to see the depth of deception that they have been led to believe because of the trickery played over time by the Enemy! •In this second part of the study, we will take a close look at the information Yahuwah gives us in His Word to determine when a day begins. We know that the world at large believes that a day begins at midnight. Most Sabbath keepers believe that a day begins at sunset. Some even believe that a day begins at noon! What does Scripture tell us about this subject? When does a day begin according to the Ancient calendar? What does Father reveal to us through His inspired Word on this most important subject? Get ready for more information that will catch many by surprise. Remember: use your Bible to prove everything as you go through this study. This is what the Bereans did, and so should you! •Let us begin this section of the study in Genesis 1: • •“In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach of Elohim moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohim saw the light, that it was good: and Elohim divided the light from the darkness. And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:1-5). •Notice that, during the creation week, the first thing Elohim created was “light”. Darkness represented “tohu” and “bohu”, indicating confusion and disorder. Strong’s concordance offers the following meanings: misery, destruction, death, sorrow, wickedness etc. Light, on the other hand, represented everything that was good (vs. 4). When Elohim created “light”, He separated it from darkness (i.e. He separated it from the evening or night) and called it “day”.) •Through His inspired Word, Elohim tells us that “light” is representative of “day” (and “darkness” is representative of “evening or night”). In Gen 1:5 we are further told that “the evening and morning” were the first “day”. Therefore, “evening and morning” are the part of the “day” when it is Twilight or just before dawn when both dark and light begin to turn to light. •Please take the time to meditate on this and understand what is plainly being stated in the Word! Genesis 1:5 is an easy scripture to understand if we allow the Scripture to interpret itself. •However, in most cases, it is also a grossly misunderstood and misrepresented scripture. •As we proceed, keep in mind that Elohim called the light “day” and he called the dark “night” (Gen. 1:5). Never lose sight of the fact that scripture tells us that the time of “the evening and the morning were the first day”. Scripture does not state that “the evening until the evening” constitute a day, but that “evening and morning” constitute the onset of a day. •This is important to understand! Please clear your mind from pre-conceived ideas, and follow along with the Biblical explanation being given hereunder. Please be sure to prove all things as you go along, and use the Word as your authority. Genesis 1:5 tells us that the time when it is both “evening and morning” begin the day. I will here give further proof to support this fact. The Fathers Word further confirms that the day is made up of the 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. •Notice: • •“Yahshua answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world” (John. 11:9). •In His own words, Yahshua stated that there are 12 hours in a day. By His own definition, the day is made up of the light hours within what is commonly referred to as a “24-hour” period! Now that we understand that the time that the “evening” turns to “morning” begins the daylight portion of a “24-hour” period, the obvious question of: when does a day begin on Elohim’s calendar has been answered. Something very interesting is revealed and confirmed in Matthew 28. •Notice: • •“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher”(Matt. 28:1). •Notice carefully that which is being stated. We are told that the two Mary’s came to the sepulcher at the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week . This clearly indicates that the end of the Sabbath came before dawn on the first day of the week. Now let’s read the scripture again! •“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher”(Matt. 28:1). •If we allow it to interpret itself, it clearly shows us that the end of the Sabbath came before dawn on the first day of the week! •The word “dawn” in Matthew 28:1 continues to confirm this truth. “Dawn” is translated from the Greek word “epiphosko” and could be translated as: “begin to grow light, dawn, or twilight”. Matthew 28:1 could be translated as follows: • •“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to grow light or at twilight toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher” •Is it not so clear that the end of the day (24 hour period) started as it began to grow light the next day? In other words, the 24 hour period of a day does not end before sunset, but it ends before the following sunrise at the time of the evening and the morning! •Notice the following translations of this same scripture: • •“Now late on the Sabbath…as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week…” (American Standard Version). “After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb (The Message Bible). • •“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave”(New American Standard Bible). •If it were “late on the Sabbath” and beginning “to dawn toward the first day of the week” when the two Mary’s went to the sepulcher, it should be plainly obvious that the Day started as it began to grow light! Meditate deeply on this important Truth, and allow the Scripture to interpret itself! Let us discuss another New Testament passage, which continues to give evidence of this point being made to us by Father through His inspired Word. •Notice: • •“And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Yahshua had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my Ruach: and having said thus, he gave up the Ruach. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified Elohim, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of Elohim. This man went unto Pilate, and begged for the body of Yahshua. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on” (Lk. 23:44-54). •Notice that verse 54 (above) concludes by stating that it was the preparation day and then the Sabbath “drew on”, or “began to grow light”! Preparation day obviously extended until sunrise! What the above passage is telling us is that Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and begged for the body of Yahshua. This would have no doubt taken time. Once clearance was granted from Pilate for Joseph to take the body, Joseph had to then arrange for the body to be removed from the stake. He would also have had to clean the body, wrap it in linen, and then transport it to the sepulcher. To do all this would have taken more than just a few hours. •We know that Yahshua died at the ninth hour (Lk. 23:44) which is around 3pm. Sunset was around 6pm. If we think about this logically, it should be obvious that it must have taken Joseph much more than a couple of hours (till sunset) to fulfill necessary obligations including seeking clearance to remove Yahshua’s Body from the stake, then remove the Body from the stake followed by cleaning and transporting the Body to place of burial. No doubt, Joseph labored past sunset. We are told that his work was all finished before the Sabbath “drew on” (Lk. 23:54). •Interestingly, Strong’s tells us that the words “drew on G2020” mean “began to grow light” (Lk. 23:54)! The Sabbath did not begin at sunset when it began to grow dark, but when it “began to grow light” at the time of twilight or dawn just before sunrise. Joseph’s work of preparation was finished as the Sabbath drew on at sunrise! •Notice the following Bible translations for Luke 23:54 which continue to give us further clarity: • •“It was the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning…” (Amplified Bible). •“And [the] day was [the] preparation and [the] Sabbath lighted up…” •(Greek Interlinear). •These translations continue to emphasize that the preparation day concluded at the time just before sunrise! Joseph of Arimathea worked until the Sabbath lit up! This is what scripture tells us. Clearly, a day according to Elohim begins at the time when it is both Evening and Morning or twilight… and not at sunset. •Instructions on offerings – more proof! • •Elohim gave some specific instructions regarding daily sacrifices. If we look closely at these instructions we can see that there is evidence in these instructions that prove that a day begins at dawn – and not at sunset! •If there are any who are still skeptical about this Biblical Truth, there is even more proof! Notice the following account in the book of Genesis: • •“And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow [H4283 = next day],that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight [H570 = yesterday, last night] with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father” (Gen. 19:33-34). •These two verses prove that the night before the morning, or “yesternight”, was reckoned with the previous day and was not part of the new day which begun in the morning! How plain and simple are the teachings of our Elohim if we simply allow His Word to interpret itself! Let us take one final look at Genesis 1:5 and discuss an additional interesting point which supports Scriptural implication that a day begins at the morning and not at sunset or midnight! •Notice: • •“And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day (H3117)” (Gen. 1:5). •The Old Testament word for “day” is translated from the Hebrew word “yom”. Strong’s gives the following definition which confirms what is plainly being communicated in Gen. 1:5 regarding “day”: • •“From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours)…from sunrise to sunset…”. • •The warm hours of a day are of course the hours between sunrise and sunset! The definition in Strong’s concordance continues: • •“…a day…from one sunset to the next…”. • •Many use this last part of the definition to conclude that a day begins at sunset and ends the following sunset. They are satisfied to rely on this “man-made” definition rather than allow the Bible to define the meaning of the word “day”! •If one honestly wants to understand this subject, the legitimacy and accuracy of the latter part of this definition should be questioned. Because scripture consistently provides testimony that a day begins at the time of the dawn as it begins to grow light, it should be obvious that what is commonly referred to as Strong’s number 2250). Strong’s gives the following definition for “hemera”: “…the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours…”. •From all the evidence that we have seen, is it not abundantly clear that the Biblical time begins the day at the dawn when both the “evening and the morning” rule or just before sunrise and that the “morning and evening” make up a Biblical “day”, which is the light and dark portion in a “24-hour” period? Get ready for more, deeper and conclusive understanding on this subject! •Passover – more testimony that a day begins at sunrise! • •“Moreover Yosiah kept a Passover unto Yahuwah in Jerusalem: and they made the Passover…And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other Qodesh offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people. And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat of the land until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron…So ALL THE SERVICE of Yahuwah was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of Yahuwah, according to the commandment of king Josiah (2 Chron. 35:1, 13-14, 16). •In the above verses we are told that “all the service of Yahuwah was prepared the same day”. In other words they killed, cooked and ate the lamb on the 14th. They killed the lamb during the day portion, they cleaned, prepared and cooked the lamb after that, and they ate it sometime after sundown or dusk – “in that night”. The time after sundown was obviously still the fourteenth. And as we read earlier on in: • •Ex. 12:10, whatever remained of the Passover lamb until the morning of the next day, they were required to burn. •Remember – the death angel PASSed OVER in that same night. It PASSed OVER on PASSOVER, at midnight, which was still the fourteenth and not the beginning of the next day, or the fifteenth! Everything pertaining to the Passover took place on Passover – the 14th of the first month. •Beginning of Feast of Unleavened Bread/Day of Atonement • •Interestingly, Elohim specifically commands that unleavened bread is to be eaten from sunset the day before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Likewise, He commands His people to afflict their souls beginning the previous sunset. Let us first of all notice the Fathers instructions on the Passover: • •“And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahuwah: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread” (Lev. 23:6). •We are here told that the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the fifteenth of the first month. However, in another section of scripture we are told to begin eating unleavened bread from the sunset of the fourteenth - the previous day! • •Notice: • •“In the month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even” (Ex. 12:18). •Here we are specifically commanded to begin eating unleavened bread from the fourteenth day of the month at even, yet the Feast of unleavened bread is on the fifteenth (Lev. 23:6). It seems very obvious that Elohim requires that we get ourselves ready for the Feast of Unleavened Bread by eating of unleavened bread from the previous night at sunset. If the previous night at sunset was the beginning of a day, why would Elohim call it the 14th, in Exodus 12:18? It is simply because the previous sunset was still the 14th. The 15th didn’t begin until dawn the following morning. •Notice the following similar instructions on the Day of Atonement: • •“Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto Yahuwah” (Lev. 23:27). • •Here we are specifically told that the Day of Atonement is to be kept on the tenth day of the seventh month, yet in the following scripture we are admonished to afflict our souls from sunset on the ninth day of the seventh month: • •“It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath” (Lev. 23:32). •Elohim commands that we observe the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month, yet we are also told to afflict our souls from sunset of the ninth – the previous night. Again, Elohim requires that we prepare for the Day of Atonement by afflicting our souls from the previous sunset. If sunset was the beginning of the day, Elohim wouldn’t have needed to specify (in Lev.23:32) that the fast was to begin the sunset of the 9th. The fact that Elohim refers to the sunset of the 9th as the 9th and not the 10th indicates that the day does not begin at sunset! Many use the above scriptures as proof of a sunset to sunset configuration of a day, however, the thinking individual will realize that these scriptures in fact prove that the day begins at sunrise! •Please understand: In Leviticus 23:6, Father plainly states that the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread is on the fifteenth day of the first month. In Lev. 23:7, He clearly states that the Day of Atonement is on the tenth day of the seventh month. The fact that He tells us to begin eating unleavened bread from the sunset before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and to fast from the sunset of the day before the Day of Atonement indicates that the day begins at sunrise otherwise there would be no need for him to tell us to begin them the day before! If the day began at sunset, the command would have simply been to keep the Day of Atonement on the 10th, just as He tells us to observe all the other Feasts. There would have been no need for Him to emphasize that the Day of Atonement begins on the eve…on the 9th! •It is interesting to note that Elohim does not tell us to begin the Feast of Pentecost from the sunset on the day prior to the Feast, He does not tell us to begin the Feast of Trumpets, or Tabernacles from the sunset of the day prior to the Feast! It is clear that, from all His Feasts, HE only commands that we eat unleavened bread from the sunset prior to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and that we afflict our souls from the sunset prior to the Day of Atonement. We are not told to begin any of the other Feasts from the previous sunset. Interestingly, Unleavened Bread and Atonement are the only two Feasts which have a specific connection with food! Evidently, Elohim wants us to eat unleavened bread 12 hours before the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins, and afflict our souls 12 hours before the day of Atonement begins. This consolidates the fact that the Feast of Unleavened Bread demonstrates that we must begin doing our part by eating unleavened bread – spiritually signifying putting on Yahshua as we remove sin immediately after our Savior sacrificed Himself through death. The Feast of Unleavened Bread then begins the next day, on the 15th (Lev. 23:6). Similarly for the Day of Atonement, the Father wants us to afflict our soul beginning on the eve of the Feast, so that we can get our bodies ready for the actual Day of Atonement. He commands us to begin the fast from sunset on the 9th, to obviously render the Day of Atonement physically and spiritually effective. •Historical evidence • •Here is some historical evidence that supports the Truth that a day begins at sunrise: • •“Meaning of day: In the Scriptures, the season of light (Gen. 1:5), lasting from dawn(literally “the rising of the morning”) to the coming forth of the stars (Jewish Encyclopedia, page 475) •In order to assure against profanation of the Sabbath the Jews added the late Friday afternoon hours to the Sabbath” (The Jewish Festivals: History & Observance, p.13). • •[Note: The Jews changed the configuration of a day and added the time between sunset and sunrise to the day. This is not Biblical but constitutes a pharisaical approach to add more to scripture than there is!] •If we look at the essentials of a day of rest and reflection which has a religious orientation, it is possible to justify the shifting of Sabbath worship to Friday evening, the celebration of the vigil/night watch was moved back to the eve of the Feast as early as the middle ages... •(Judaism: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow, p. 518). •...a sacred day of rest on the 7th day (the Sabbath). Days were reckoned from morning to morning... (New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 11, pg. 1068). • •Following the reign of King Josiah (c. 640-609), and especially after the Babylonian exile, a number of significant and enduring changes occurred in the Israelite calendar showing that the Jews gradually adopted the Babylonian calendar of the time...The day however, was counted from evening to evening, after the Babylonian fashion.... •(New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 11, section titled “Later Jewish Calendar”). • •“…shortly after the beginning of the Greek period, [236 BC] came the change in the method of reckoning the day, from evening to evening instead of from morning to morning as of old…” (The Calendars of Ancient Israel, p. 146). •Logic • •Elohim is a logical Elohim. Let us also use logic to understand that which is being stated in the Scriptures and all other evidence and testimony given is correct and accurate. • •Does it make logical sense for a day to begin at sunset, at a time when man has finished from his daily labor? •Does it make logical sense that a new day is to begin at a time when man is exhausted from his daily work? • •Does it make sense for a day to begin at night after the day has died out? • •The night time is a time for sleep: does it make sense for a fresh, new day to begin when mankind, and creation at large, goes to sleep? • •Absolutely not! •On the other hand, does it make much more sense for a day to begin at sunrise, at a time of daily new beginnings? • •Does it not make more sense for a day to begin at sunrise when most life forms on this earth awake for a fresh start to a bright, new day? • •Absolutely! •There is no proof for a sunset to sunset day! Clear Scriptural accounts demonstrate that a day begins at The time of the Evening and the morning or twilight/dawn. Please study this script with an open mind, clear of all preconceived ideas, proving all things with the Word of the Father as you go along. • •Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thess. 5:21). • •As you do this, you will see how clear and easy it is to understand this most important Truth, which is detailed within the text of the Word!
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:39:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015